Chapter 148: The Sword-Washing Pool on Sword-Washing Peak, a Grand Mastery Realm Fairy!

"What, do you want to record Cao Xuan in the Ancestral Hall with a supreme-grade spiritual root?"

Pei Yuxin wore an expression that said "leave it to me," causing Fairy Qingyin to pout.

Naturally, she understood her master's intention: she simply wanted to prevent any unfavorable records of Cao Xuan from appearing in the historical annals of the Ancestral Hall.

Yet she also worried about unexpected complications. Knowing her master as she did, if Pei Yuxin were to discover that Cao Xuan had actually broken through to the mid-stage Golden Core realm in a single day, she would undoubtedly overthink matters.

For the moment, however, Qingyin could only murmur an assent and follow her master forward.

As she spoke, Pei Yuxin waved her hand, tearing a rift in the void before them.

"Let's go!"

With that, she stepped directly into the opening.

Cao Xuan glanced at Fairy Qingyin, who offered a helpless look before stepping through as well.

Seeing this, Cao Xuan had no choice but to follow.

He felt a ripple of spatial fluctuation. After a brief sensation of weightlessness, Cao Xuan found himself in a place resembling a white jade fairyland lake.

Looking around, it appeared to be a massive white jade pool built upon the foundation of four towering peaks.

This Sword-Washing Pool, suspended above the four mountains, covered an immense expanse.

Had he not previously seen a stone tablet inscribed with the ancient characters unique to the Xuanhua Continent reading [Sword-Washing Pool], Cao Xuan would have thought he had arrived at a vast ocean of swords.

After all, looking out across this region, he could not see the other side, and the waters were incomparably clear.

Whether it was his imagination or not, the moment he entered this area, Cao Xuan felt a deep, piercing chill of sword qi biting into his bones.

"Is this the Sword-Washing Pool? I thought there would be countless flying swords here!"

Cao Xuan joked, hoping to ease the silent atmosphere.

However, both Fairy Qingyin and Pei Yuxin wore solemn expressions, as if embarking on a pilgrimage, prompting Cao Xuan to quickly收起 (withdraw) his playful demeanor.

"Junior Sister Pei, what wind has blown you to my Sword-Washing Pool?"

"Greetings, Senior Sister Yunyi!"

As Pei Yuxin spoke, a female sword immortal descended from the sky.

Cao Xuan looked up to see a similar purple split-length dress, long hair draped over her shoulders, and four transparent flying swords revolving around her.

[Name: Yunyi]

[Spiritual Root Attribute: Heavenly Spiritual Root, Fourth Refinement]

[Cultivation Talent: Grade Five]

[Multiplier: 4,000x]

[Cultivation Realm: Early Mahayana Stage]

[Characteristics: Sword Spirit Bodyguard, Plump and Uplifted, Clear Wind and Moon Petals, Soft Jade and Warm Fragrance]

"Her spiritual root attribute and cultivation talent are identical to Pei Yuxin's, but her multiplier is 4,000 times!"

"As expected, the higher the cultivation realm, the greater the multiplier!"

"Of course, differences in multipliers among characteristics cannot be ruled out either," Cao Xuan thought to himself. Still, she was a Mahayana-stage cultivator; truly, she was worthy of being a member of one of the six great sacred lands of the Central Plains.

Pei Yuxin bowed in greeting. "Senior Sister Yunyi, our Miaoyin Sword Peak should still have a quota for sword-washing. This time, I've brought a disciple of our peak to undergo the ritual."

Hearing this, Yunyi nodded. "All one hundred and eight peaks of the Ziyang Sword Sect have their quotas. Is this the disciple who has come to wash his sword?"

She glanced at Cao Xuan, showing no disdain despite his supreme-grade spiritual root.

Within the Ziyang Sword Sect, anyone who comprehended sword intent was treated on equal terms with a Heavenly Spiritual Root!

Pei Yuxin nodded. "Cao Xuan, display your sword intent for Elder Yun to see."

Before Cao Xuan officially became a master's personal disciple, he could address the master of any peak as Elder.

Hearing Pei Yuxin's words, Yunyi understood inwardly: this was an evaluation of the sword-washing quality to determine whether to accept him as a disciple.

If she were to take him as a disciple herself, he would address her as Martial Aunt; if her disciple Qingyin were to take him in, he would address her as Martial Grand-Aunt, though "Elder" was acceptable in either case.

Yunyi swept her gaze over Cao Xuan. Noting that aside from passable looks, he appeared thoroughly ordinary with no astonishing physique, she concluded that his comprehension of sword intent meant his cultivation talent must be passable at best.

Cao Xuan nodded. Having thoroughly familiarized himself with the Great Accomplishment sword intent bestowed by the system over this period, he could already wield it as naturally as moving his own fingers.

"Hum—"

The moment Cao Xuan unleashed his sword intent, ten thousand swords within the Sword-Washing Pool began to ring in unison.

Yunyi nodded. "Great Accomplishment sword intent—not bad, not bad. To comprehend Great Accomplishment sword intent at the mid-stage Golden Core realm shows decent cultivation talent!"

Her casual words actually implied that while Cao Xuan was acceptable, he was hardly astonishing.

To the peak masters and personal disciples of the Qingyun Sect in Yunzhou, Cao Xuan might have been a once-in-a-millennium genius.

Yet within the Ziyang Sword Sect—one of the six great sacred lands with its ancient heritage—such "geniuses" appeared every few decades.

His future achievements might not be low; reaching the Void Refinement or Fusion stages was entirely possible, making him a solid backbone of the sect. Thus, Yunyi maintained a faint smile.

Had Cao Xuan merely displayed Minor Accomplishment sword intent, arousing the resonance of only a hundred or so swords in the pool, Yunyi likely wouldn't have bothered to speak a word before turning to leave.

Pei Yuxin nodded, well-satisfied with Cao Xuan's comprehension of sword intent.

Without further ado, Yunyi waved her hand, causing a light barrier to rise.

"From today onward, the Sword-Washing Peak is closed. This deity will be entering seclusion to cultivate for a period!"

Yunyi's voice resounded across the heavens. Following her words, the previously calm Sword-Washing Pool suddenly began to churn like boiling water.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—"

Streams of sword light shot forth from the depths, clearly indicating that the occupants were familiar with this routine on the Sword-Washing Peak.

Cao Xuan felt these formidable auras, among which were many comparable to Fairy Qingyin—presumably cultivators at the Void Refinement stage.

Yet only a handful of them cast a glance in his direction.

It seemed that the secret of the Sword-Washing Pool purifying spiritual roots was not known to everyone.

In the blink of an eye, the Sword-Washing Pool grew calm once more.

At that moment, Cao Xuan noticed that the pool water had become crystal clear, revealing countless flying swords of various kinds planted vertically at the bottom of the lake.

Elder Yunyi extended her right hand, forming a sword finger, and swept it forward. From the bottom of the Sword-Washing Pool, a massive platform slowly rose into mid-air.

Fairy Qingyin watched the scene, her heart no longer tranquil.

Possessing a Heavenly Spiritual Root, she did not meet the criteria for sword-washing. However, as a personal disciple of the Miaoyin Sword Peak, she was privy to certain secrets concerning the realm of the Ziyang Sacred Land.

This was her very first time witnessing the spectacle of the Sword-Washing Pool purifying a spiritual root.

Yunyi pointed toward the platform and said, "Go. Step onto the Sword-Washing Platform and continuously release your sword intent. Afterward, you will naturally understand how to wash your sword."

Cao Xuan nodded, took a few deep breaths, and suddenly said, "Can you give me a moment to gather myself?"

Yunyi and Pei Yuxin exchanged glances, faint smiles touching their eyes.

Assuming Cao Xuan was feeling nervous, they did not urge him on, simply smiling and nodding in agreement.

A thought stirred within Cao Xuan, and he brought up his system panel. When he had previously drawn the [Proclamation Domain], he had used a tenfold draw, leaving him with 6 remaining chances.

However, before his departure, Yu Wan's favorability rating had successfully broken through 90, granting him another chance.

Then, after he promised to bring her along to cultivate in the sacred land in the future, her favorability reached 93, bringing his total available draws back to an even 10!

Gazing at the draw opportunities on the panel, Cao Xuan murmured inwardly:

"Judging by the expressions of Elder Yunyi and Fairy Pei, it seems neither of these powerful immortals holds high expectations for my sword-washing attempt!"